


Another Beautiful Day

by Thixotrofic



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Minecraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29761476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thixotrofic/pseuds/Thixotrofic
Summary: Prompt: what if i put my minecraft bed/animal crossing house next to yours.... haha just kidding.... unless?
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10
Collections: Bookclub Valentione's Fic Exchange 2021





	Another Beautiful Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [altoverse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/altoverse/gifts).



`WoLight joined the game`

In direction from spawn, spires of stone blocks towered around the cobblestone courtyard. The sky was clear, with scattered clouds, though a thin layer of snow anywhere a torch was not placed suggested either a recent storm, or the neglect of shoveling duties.

Then a voice, or rather, a symbol out of the barren silence.

` o/`

“Welcome! Is this your first time logging in?”

“Yeah! Alphinaud invited me.”

“I apologize for the inhospitable state that spawn is in. All appearances but nothing useful for a newcomer as yourself. Could you give me a moment to find you and introduce you to the area?”

The newcomer had a strong temptation to explore, but did not wish to deny someone the joy of showing off the world to somebody else.

Shortly after, a man appeared down one of the central avenues in glistening turquoise armor. He wore no helmet, but one could be deceived as his short hair was of a similar hue. Upon entering the square, the two greeted each other with a requisite sequence of frantic crouching.

“I am Haurchefant.”

“You can call me Light.”

“Are you in need of supplies? If so we may begin at the community storage.”

Would it be rude to refuse? She had spent so long as a single player that she only had a vague idea of what sever courtesy looked like.

“I like going out and building up on my own. It’s probably my favorite part of the game.”

The anxious wait for a reply to her possible discourtesy was not long.

“I understand. Building yourself up is part of the experience. I would wish to not deprive you of that.”

Though each invisible to the other, both smiled.

“At least I may offer to show you around before you start your own journey then. Shall we?”

The tour saw the two traveling across the snowy tundra to visit various landmarks. There was a clear theme, with stone bricks and wood the dominant building materials for an array of rugged castles and comfortable longhouses. 

“Have you beat the Ender Dragon?”

“Yes, that achievement is quite far past. We intended to do so as a group, but then someone defeated it himself in the middle of the night when nobody else was around. He even had the gall to stop playing after that.”

The Silver Fuller stopped short of visiting the Nether or the End, and soon he had them back where they started. About two hours had passed.

“Do you intend to set off on your own journey tonight? The tour took longer than expected, and I worry about keeping you.”

“I think this is a good stopping point. I think I got a lot of ideas for what I want to work on!”

But there was a sense of something incomplete, an unfulfilled expectation.

“I don’t think you showed me any of your builds though?”

“My base is somewhat isolated. Most of my playtime has been resource collection, and I regret I have little to show.”

“Have a project in mind?”

“Something of the sort. When you play next, tag me in chat so I may join you.”

“Will do!”

`WoLight left the game`

* * *

`WoLight joined the game`

`SilverFuller joined the game`

“Hello! Preparing to depart?”

“Yeah! I was thinking of ideas for builds all day, couldn’t wait to get back on and get started.”

“May I join you?”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean to ask, to go back to basics, so that we may be on equal footing wherever you wish to set up.”

“What about all your stuff?”

“It will remain where it is left. I hesitate at having you join a server only to play alone. Of course you have every right to refuse.”

“Do you know what’s beyond the ocean to the east of spawn?”

“No, I do not believe that area is well explored.”

“Good. We’ll be the first to see it then.”

After a long voyage through a large expanse of sea, the two eventually settled in a lush jungle biome.

“I don’t suppose you’re used to this kind of environment?”

“I believe this seed was selected primarily for its having two thousand blocks of snow in every direction from spawn.”

The first day was a productive one, with two small jungle huts set up in a sheltered cove leading out to the ocean. Haurchefant’s was small but had several stories, with a silhouette alluding to a castle. Meanwhile, Light’s was more of a survival bunker.

When night fell, the two headed into the caves and after a few close calls with almost being blown up while typing, they realized it would be better to use voice.

“Hi, can you hear me?” Her voice was strangely apprehensive for such a casual setting. She realized how infrequently she spoke to anybody else on an everyday basis.

“Loudly and clearly.”

The Silver Fuller’s voice was crystal, a nice tenor, welcoming. Light suddenly realized she could have been gaming with a small child this whole time and was relieved this was actually not the case.

“Do you have enough food?”

“I am confident it is enough to last the night now that we are not left unguarded when communicating.”

* * *

Minecraft had never been this much fun. In fact, she could hardly remember a time any game at all had been this much fun. It was unclear whether Haurchefant’s interests in the game were just compatible with her’s, or if he was adapting himself to her company.

The two were fishing by a mob farm, having already made significant progress in their settlement.

“Did you do some work on the outside of the farm while I was offline?”

“Yes, I added some stone trimming as well as the turrets.”

“Another castle, huh? But I can’t deny you’re good at it.”

A few fish caught during a pause.

“I don’t think I’ve fished since they updated it.”

“It is surprisingly a popular activity on this server.”

“Did you play with the others often?”

“In other games yes, although not so much here. I joined later than the rest, and wanting a personal experience as you once did, I set out alone.”

“Where do you know them from?”

It felt like somewhat of an invasive question. For all they had talked about games, movies, and food, personal topics had been untouched.

“It is a group I have been around perhaps my entire life. I knew a number of the people who founded it, so it was natural that I eventually be invited.”

It was difficult to read into his voice, her only cue for inferring his true feelings. His orthogonal player avatar showed very little about his emotional state.

There was something else behind her question. Surely, they could not play together forever. There is only so much to do in any game, and it was this one that formed the entire foundation of their friendship. What that had would survive without the game, but could it grow beyond? For now, all she could do was enjoy what was in front of her.

“So, this whole jungle base has been mostly my project. How about we do one of your projects? I think we’re far enough in the game.”

“A fine change of pace. It seems you have caught on that I do have something in mind. But I warn you, it will not be a quick task.”

“I don’t mind being occupied.”

“Let us begin with connecting up to my Nether tunnel. I anticipate many trips will need to be made between our bases.”

The project was a grand fortification, a castle worthy of its name, Camp Dragonhead. Haurchefant had a detailed blueprint for where each building and its grand walls were to be located, with significant terraforming to be done as well.

“How did you come up with this design?”

“You could call it a boyish fascination.”

* * *

It was, indeed, a very large project, alternating between phases of additional resource gathering, building, and of course, getting distracted with side projects. But progress was being made, with each portion built encouraging the next to follow. There was a momentum to it, although sometimes progress only revealed more work to be done in detailing or building out the interior of a room.

Over this long period, their schedules at times varied, and they would log in at separate times to play, perhaps crossing paths briefly as one gets on shortly before the other departs. Even when they did not overlap, there were still ways to communicate. Of course, they could just message each other directly, but it was more fun to leave a wall of encouraging signs in front of where the other had logged out. Gifts were often exchanged in this manner too. A brand new set of enchanted diamond tools. Or, even better, the completion of a difficult job, such as a roof, left half unfinished.

Two people united by a shared objective.

It was fortunate that they could play together as the project’s completion neared. Three rock mountains, creating a strategic passage where the camp’s magnificent walls stood confidently. An array of stone buildings guarded in the interior, with decorative blue banners and prismarine rooftops. They looked for small details to fill in, as if not ready to call the project complete.

Light walked in while Haurchefant was decorating his personal room, tucked away into a snug underground area. Even if it were not night, this windowless space would be illuminated only by torchlight.

“Adding some finishing touches?”

“I do not expect it a surprise that I have a specific mental image for my quarters.”

Though she had not seen the plan, the detail of the room gave the impression that everything was placed as it should be.

“Are you open to suggestion?”

“From you, always.”

“The room has an even width, but you have a single bed. Perhaps it would look better if…”

A second bed was set down, creating a centered double. Haurchefant looked at the construction in silence.

They were the only two people in the world.

“Shall we pass the night together?”

“If only so that we may see another beautiful day.”


End file.
